We had such a lovely time wine tasting at White Rock Vineyards while visiting Napa. Reservations are a must for a personal tasting experience so plan ahead. Our hostess Tess greeted us and gave us a very educational tour of their wine cave. Even the wine cave manager took time out to talk with us and explain the method they use to test and store the wine. Tess was so friendly and seamed to really enjoy her time and job at White Rock. She walked us through the history and operations of this beautiful family run winery. Christopher, one of the owners even took time to stop into the tasting room and introduce himself and answer any additional questions we had. We were happy to purchase some of the delicious wine and Tess arranged to ship to our home since we were flying back home. Make sure you stop by this beautiful property for a phenomenal wine tasting experience while in Napa. read more

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Tessa is so beautiful and sweet and super knowledgeable and she loves working here. She is a stellar hostess and gave us a tour of the caves and put us to work labeling wines. lol This is a truly unique experience and I highly recommend coming here even through the construction which is kind of charming!! read more

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We've done our fair share of wine tastings, but nothing compares to the private experience we had at White Rock Vineyards with Matthew and Tessa. From start to finish, it was unforgettable. The property itself is steeped in rich history, and Matthew is an exceptional host--warm, knowledgeable, and incredibly skilled as both a guide and sommelier. We began with a private tour of their wine cave, which was both fun and informative, setting the tone for what was to come. Then came the tasting: a single picnic table set under a beautiful old oak tree in the heart of the vineyard. It was picture-perfect. Matthew offered just enough insight to deepen our appreciation for the wines, while encouraging us to form our own impressions. It made the experience feel personal and thoughtful. What truly stood out was how welcoming and engaging they were with every member of our group--from the grandparents, to our toddler, to our dog. Everyone felt included and at ease. And yes--the wines are absolutely phenomenal. So good, we joined the club on the spot. White Rock has set a new standard for what a wine tasting can be. Can't recommend it enough! read more

White Rock Vineyards - My fave! - Wineries Near Me - Napa, California

Really friendly staff. Beautiful tasting setting under a huge tree. Nice to have a family owned and run place and the service follows, like family. Great wines at reasonable prices. Will be back read more

Highlight of our Napa visit. Our tour and tasting was hosted by Henry, the owner, (hospitality lead was on vacation that day). It was an incredible treat and he was beyond lovely and it was great hearing the history of the property. Overall, a picturesque visit to a truly family owned vineyard! FYI: no cell service here. read more

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White Rock was amazing. Great wine, great view, great experience with Matthew. They are building a tasting room, so I'm excited to see it in the future! read more

Our visit to White Rock Vineyards was special. Nothing creates a memory more than great wine and conversation in equal measure. My wife and I were fortunate enough to enjoy both at White Rock Vineyards, where we shared some time with Michael Vandendriessche and Matthew Nicoson. This beautiful, family-owned winery is so uniquely situated and its land so lovingly cared for that the final products are inevitably some breathtaking views and truly exceptional wines. Michael and Matthew were so gracious, knowledgeable, and genuine. It wasn't a 'private tour', it was a personal one, and that makes all the difference. Learning of the history of the property, the family, and the various stories about their adventures in winemaking was a highlight of our trip to Napa. We can't wait to stop by again to share some laughs and a few glasses. read more

If you love wine, and you're tired of typical tasting rooms, caned sales pitches and Wine that is simply not spectacular, then this is the place for you. The entire experience was outstanding from what we arrived, touring the caves, learning about the family in the history behind the winery, and then enjoy a tasting out in the vineyard under a gigantic oak tree with the wildlife all around you. I challenge anyone to find a better overall experience in Napa Valley. read more

My wife and and I were visiting San Francisco in 1980. On Fishermans Warf we wandered into a wine shop and were introduced to White Rock Claret. The manager called Henry and an appointment was made to visit. We have been enjoying his wines now for 44 years and are club members. If I remember correctly Robert Parker rated White Rock very high. read more

So a few things about White Rock...I love that the vineyard uses all their own grapes grown on property! The tour of their cave was fun--They stack their wine on top of each other so tightly that they can pull one out and it doesn't shift. It was like an expensive Jenga version... Made me so nervous! The wines were yummy; I was a fan of their reds. Finally we loved our conversation there. We learned about the family, property, their experience in the 2017 fire, the wine and had some phenomenal laughs. Oh and at the very end the founder was walking up and we had a brief chat, you could tell he was needing to go do something but still took the 30 seconds to a minute to say hi. This small place is special! read more

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What an amazing experience at WhiteRock. Super exclusive in location. If you see the huge rock, you may have found it! Private, so you are getting the best experience with the tour. Jillian was awesome the moment we drove up, patient and knowledgeable. We really enjoyed the cave. The story behind the winery and winemakers were great, wine is delicious. Must try!! read more

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What a hidden gem! I am so glad we had a visit to White Rock yesterday for a tasting. Rarely do I genuinely love everything I try on a tasting and we genuinely enjoyed everything we tried. We did our tasting with Tara and her love of the wines, property, and family was tangible. It was a beautiful day to be tasting under the 200 year old Oak tree in the vineyard. We were the only people there for tasting--she mentioned they do only a few tastings a day, all private, truly an incredible personal touch--and we took full advantage of getting to talk her ear off about wine and hear all about this incredible vineyard. One of the wines we purchased didn't make it into our box and Tara was quick to call us and let us know and offer to bring it directly to us at our next stop. Integrity like that is greatly appreciated. We absolutely loved learning about their wine making process and walking through the caves (soooo cool!). We so look forward to tastings in the caves in the future! read more

White Rock Vineyards - Tasting in the vineyard - Wineries Near Me - Napa, California

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Our friend recommended this winery and we absolutely loved it. Beautiful setting, friendly hospitality and excellent wines. Never seen wine so perfectly stacked in a cave. read more

My wife and I came here for a tasting. Beautiful place, very good wine and just a really good vibe. I highly recommend!

This was literally the best wine tasting we have ever done!! My fiancé and I were able to do a private tasting right in the middle of the vineyard after touring the cave set up. The wines were all SO incredible! I'm usually not a chardonnay fan, so this is the first time I've had a chardonnay and loved it. Every pour was a stellar experience. We also really enjoyed having Jillian as a host, as she was so personable and welcoming on top of being incredibly knowledgable. If I had only a couple of hours to spend in the entire state of California, I would chose to go to White Rock. Above and beyond! Thank you for the excellent experience! read more

Everyone visiting Napa should visit White Rock Vineyards. Such a difference experience than all the rest of vineyards. It is such a up close and personal experience that we loved, rather to sitting down in a restaurant style winery where they just pour wine into a glass , here we could learn how they grow the grapes and everything about the wine making process before enjoying the magnificent wines they produce at this location. Our host was amazing . Thank you so much read more

White Rock Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Napa, California

What an amazing little gem!! We visited Napa recently and despite the torrential downpour of rain, had a wonderful day thanks largely to our start at White Rock. We were greeted by Tara, whose bubbly personality made a gloomy day feel bright! Tasting in their cave was wonderful, as was all of their wines. We personally took home a few bottles of their 2015 claret red blend - mostly because we loved it but also because we wanted to give back. White rock lost a significant amount of their property in recent fires and is in the rebuilding phase. Absolutely worth going while in Napa - don't forget to ask for Tara! read more

White Rock Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Napa, California

***DISCLAIMER: Anything I write in a winery review about the actual wine is based on my personal tastes / opinions / palette and is not intended to be taken as an objective measure of quality or deliciousness. (I would think this is obvious, but apparently not.)*** Imagine your typical Napa winery - tasting facilities of mcmansion-esque proportions, meticulously landscaped lawns & courtyards, sprawling merchandise areas, carefully made up young men & women in winery polos telling you exactly what you should be tasting in each wine & charging you $25 a head for it - you know the type I mean. White Rock is about as far as it gets from that in every respect. The tiny family-owned and -run winery is located in the Stag's Leap Range, just above the Valley. There's no tasting room, just the fascinating white rock / igneous caves where the wine is created & aged & a small office, but if you give Henry or Chris Vandendriessche a call & convince them that you're in it for good wine & not cruising around Napa in a party bus getting blitzed, you can make an appointment to come visit. We were the only ones there when we went; Henry spent about an hour showing us around their vineyards, explaining how they're grown and cared for, telling us the history of the property & crops, & explaining in detail the process by which they go from grapes to wine. We toured the caves, which were fascinating, & ended our journey at a single table tucked in the corner of one of the caves just a few feet from hundreds of aging barrels, where Henry poured us a bit of everything they had that day. For the most part, they focus on food-friendly cabernet sauvignon & chardonnay, but in the last few years the Vandendriessche sons have apparently begun to experiment with other varietals. (Their Viogner came highly recommended but was sold out when we were there. It looks like the experiments aren't available online, but if they have them when you're there, you can buy them, & they're relatively inexpensive.) Although the cab & chard isn't what I'd call cheap, it isn't all that terribly pricey for Napa (I think the most expensive bottles were $50), and unlike plenty of other Napa cabs & chards I could name, theirs is actually worth what it costs. So, if there are just a few of you, and you're looking to have an interesting & unique wine experience in Napa, and you like talking about wine & the wine making process as much as drinking it, definitely give them a call & check it out. read more

White Rock Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Napa, California

*********************** 773 ************************* Where do I start? My recent wine tasting with California Wine and Wine Institute at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, and a visit to Bar Covell in Hollywood, I discover this beautiful 2006 White Rock Vineyards Napa Valley Claret - a Bordeaux-style blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot - dark garnet, aromas of cherry and chocolate. Medium-bodied with flavors of oak, cedar. Long with abundant tannin, elegant, and was a nice treat. I determined to find out more about this winery. After a few exchanged emails, winemaker Christopher himself showed my friends and I the White Rock Vineyards. It was an experience of a life time, and I'm not exaggerated. Read on please... In 1977, the original stone winery still stands after being converted into a residence in the 1920's. Today their wines are made in an underground cave, dug in 1988 from the same white volcanic rock that characterizes our vineyards. White Rock Winery first planted 36 acre vineyard in 1979; 21 hillside acres in 4 Bordeaux varieties (I love), 15 acres of chardonnay in the lowest and coolest sector of Napa Valley. Since 1986 White Rock had been producing the best fruit to produce about 3,000 cases of White Rock wines. Since 1999 winemaker Christopher had been making solid wines after studying and making wine in Bordeaux, France, Spain, and Napa Valley. His brother is taking care of the vineyards, and his dad just keep an eye on them; what an amazing team. We got to see the vineyards, feel the grapes, see the varietals row by row. Even my friend puppy Meloh enjoyed the beautiful view here. I tasted the soil. Yes I ate dirt, does it make me cool? We got to have respect for the soil if you want good fruits. Then we got to go in the cave, see how they make their wines. Reminded me of my wine school with USSA where I got to do a few field trips to the vineyards to measure the sugar level, feel the soil, see the winemaking process. Except at White Rock Vineyards, it was so personal, organic, family owned, small production, reasonable price point. Winemaker Christopher has so much passion, so much love for the soil, the fruits, the climate, and his beloved family. I got to ask him many questions about his experiences in Bordeaux, rebottle technique, etc. He was so kind to take an afternoon off to share with us. Then we got to taste his wines, love the Claret 2006 and 2007, because of the 'Bordeaux" style blend, and you know how I feel about Bordeaux. The reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was amazing too, but that's for my friends who loves a bold, full boddied cab, buy it here. I also love the 2007Malbec, I rarely see many Napa wineries making these rare varietals such as Malbec, Petit Verdot or Cabernet Franc. If you want to visit a truly small vineyards, family owned, not a overly marketed and commercialized winery, but still produce amazing wines, come here. You will thank me later. Claret, claret, Malbec, Malbec, and more Bordeaux blend please! read more

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What a fabulous introduction to wine country! Recommended by a friend who enjoyed the intimacy of her experience here, we decided to skip the allure of the big box wineries and visit White Rock. First of all, pulling up to the place, you feel as if you're being let in on a secret; like your going to someone's house rather than a wine manufacturer, so you are immediately made to feel like a guest rather than a visitor (BIG difference). Terra Jane, who was phenomenal in helping me book our tour around lunches and red-eye flights, greeted us with a warm smile. It was nice to put a face to the correspondence; she the. Introduced us to the winemaker Chris, who said, "I heard you guys have had quite a trip to get here, so how about a glass of our 2011 Chardonay to welcome you?" How much cooler can you get? Then, walking up the hill, we are introduced to a tall, lean Henri, the owner of the winery and our guide. He proceeded to walk us to his vineyard and tell us his story, the history of the property, and the various facts about the various winemaking regions in Napa. Henri then led us into the "white rock" caverns, where we got to see the barrels and bottles that were patiently waiting their turn to be released to the public. He explained the differences in the bottling processes, the different vintages, why some years are better than others, the reasons Napa wines are more potent than others, even the differences in the oaks used in the barrels. As we winded our way to the back of the cave, past the rows of barrels and fermentation tanks, we came to the tasting bar. We tried about 5 different types, all with their own unique stories, all wonderful! It was an easy sell for me to join the quarterly wine club. Wine snobs and novices alike will love this tour. I couldn't be more pleased that we made this our first vineyard visit. read more

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My husband and I had a really unique experience here! We were referred to this winery by a guy who worked in downtown Napa. When we called the winery to make an appointment, they were really helpful in getting us a time even though we were calling so last minute. Driving up to the winery was really pretty. You drive through a residential area so you kind of feel like you're going to visit someone who lives there. When you pull up, it doesn't feel like a winery at all. You can see an entrance to a cave underground and automatically, it feels like you're in on a secret. We were met by Christopher who's the winemaker. He's one of the son's of Henri who owns the winery. Henri did a tour of the vineyard and the caves. It was such a different experience being on a tour with just the two of us and a winery owner! Henri was great! He told us all about the process of growing vines and how they're effected by weather. He led us through their wine caves and explained the wine making process and storage. We then got to taste the wines at the end inside the cave! My husband and I felt like knowing the process of it all made us appreciate the taste of the wines all the more. It's $30 per person for the tour and the tasting. Definitely worth it. Cheers! read more

White Rock Vineyards - Selfie with Henri in the wine cave! - Wineries Near Me - Napa, California

Love this Winery! Everything about this tour is personal. We were fortunate enough to have the owner Henri give us the details of this unique winery. You will not be disappointed and of course the wine is excellent. read more

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm a wino and am going to look for the best experience possible when visiting wine country. Thank goodness a friend recommended White Rock because it was the highlight of my most recent trip to Napa! The tasting fee is $50, and it is by appointment only. This is because you get an intimate tasting experience with one of the staff at White Rock and it is completely worth it. Our guide was Tara and she was incredible! She's a local and you can tell is passionate about wine. We started off our tour in the vineyards, then went into the wine cellar where we stood in front of a literal wall of wine that you can pull a bottle out of due to physics... I think? During the tour we were able to sample their chardonnay which I'm not typically a fan of but really enjoyed theirs and even purchased a bottle of at the end of our visit! We ended our experience in a private tasting room with a fantastic sample of their red wine and were even joined by the wine maker during our tasting! This was the perfect way to kick off an amazing weekend in Napa that I won't forget. Thank you White Rock! read more

Such an amazing experience to celebrate our wedding anniversary! The location is out of this world, literally, unmarked on the roadside so you have to do some old school navigation of asking around to find the cellar entrance. The private tour and small batch growing and wine making just make it extra special and the opposite of touristy Napa experience. read more

Apparently I have too much time in between working 12 hours/day, wasting time 12 hours/day, and not sleeping because I've been debating whether to write a review for White Rock Vineyards for the past two months. On the one hand, this is the best winery tour ever and I want to share it with everyone and their moms on Yelp. On the other hand, this is one of few remaining hidden treasures in Napa and I don't want everyone and their moms on Yelp to sabotage it for me. I will never be able to visit this vineyard again once White Rock is on the wine country radar--just like I couldn't eat at Brenda's French Soul Food easily after 2009 because there was always two-hour line, 95% of which were Yelpers and their moms. Anyway, the better part of me won and you are the beneficiary of this sage information: - Email Henri Vandendriessche (caves@whiterockvineyards.com) to make a reservation to visit his caves. - Carefully study the directions to the winery (there's no sign or address or cell phone reception around that area). - Have the time of your life with one of the most knowledgeable and nicest winemakers on earth and some of the best wine in Napa. Note: Do not let his bare bones website deter you. White Rock has all the charm and character of a mom-and-pop operation. DF and I spent about an hour and a half with Henri out in the vineyard and in the caves. Just. Us. Three. Henri explained everything from the soil to the vines to the wines. He was so welcoming and so patient, and the five tastings were so thoughtful and delicious, that we could not believe the tour and tasting were free. Not. One. Cent. We left with four bottles of wine this time (two reserves!), but next time we're joining the wine club. White Rock glitters among the gold in Napa. read more

Based on the number of extremely positive reviews on Yelp, I chose to visit with my girlfriend and another couple on a Monday afternoon in July. I understood that White Rock was a small, family-owned production a bit off the beaten path in Napa and I felt truly fortunate to secure a tasting. White Rock has been around for a while, but they have only a few people on staff, no formal tasting room, and seem to get the majority of their business through referral or wine tours. My experience with White Rock was not only mixed, but also extremely strange. We were given a tour by Terra, who is on staff at White Rock. We started the tour outside in the vineyard, which might be okay on most days, but given that it was 95 degrees on the day of our visit, was an absolutely terrible idea which demonstrated strikingly little insight or consideration toward the guests. We were next led into the wine cave, which is buried in the hills and has a great number of barrels and stacked bottles waiting to be labeled and shipped. Very cool ambience that is based on European wine caves, and a welcome change from the oppressive heat outside. We were able to taste several wines, including two chardonnays, a claret, and their 2010 Laureate Cabernet, which was truly excellent and extremely reasonably priced. We purchased a bottle and consumed it for dinner with a NY Strip later in the evening and it was absolute perfection. So why the 3 star review? Well, there were several oddities about the experience. In addition to making us stand outside in the heat, which almost made my girlfriend pass out, at the end of the tasting, Terra requested twice that we NOT post about the experience on Yelp. WHAT? Facebook was okay, but Yelp was not? I probably wouldn't have posted anything based on my positive but not amazing tasting experience (likely a 4-star review) but this edict seemed really odd. Was there something wrong with Yelp or the clientele that Yelp attracts? Are they afraid of publicity? Do they hate profit? I'm not sure, but it only motivated me further to post about the tasting experience. So odd, and such a perfect vignette representing the bizarre experience as a whole. Finally, as we were leaving, the owner and much of his family walked up the driveway and went into the winery. We were the only visitors there at the time (they told us that they host no more than 3 tastings per day). The owner could have come by to say hello, maybe thank us for visiting, maybe ask us how our experience was, and yet we got nothing other than a blank stare. Would other winery owners do that? Maybe. But a small gesture that would have cost him nothing and gone a long way from a p.r. perspective wasn't done. White Rock produces reasonably good wine at a good price, but they for some reason are afraid of the Yelp crowd. I can only imagine why. Such an odd place. Considering the number of producers in Napa, you might as well go somewhere that makes you feel welcome, no? read more

My husband and I spent two days in Napa and Sonoma last week and visited countless wineries, and both of us can say with certainty that if you only have time to make it to one winery while in the CA winelands, make it this one. We were interested in visiting White Rock based on the amazing reviews it had received, and we are so glad we did. Henri is the best. He spent upwards of two hours with us, giving a comprehensive tour of the vineyards and the caves, and detailing everything from the winemaking process to the history of the rock inside the caves. Then, he led an intimate wine tasting in the caves with us, taking time with each wine and explaining the reasoning behind every bottle, its history, what it pairs best with, etc in exquisite and interesting detail. Did I mention all of this was free?? We ordered a bunch of bottles to be shipped to our home in VA to avoid having to check bags, and they arrived the day after we returned home! What a nice surprise and a great reminder of an amazing trip. White Rock and Henri's tour were awesome, intimate, informative, and extremely interesting. Not to mention Henri is just a straight-up awesome dude. The whole White Rock experience is a breath of fresh air from the commercial nature you get at many of the other vineyards. You really get the sense that Henri and his family truly love what they do and that is where their true passion and motivation lies. You have to make reservations in advance - check out the website (but don't judge White Rock by the simple, un-fancy nature of it) and shoot Henri an email. You won't regret it!!! read more

This was a hard one for me to review. I have known about White Rock and have been enjoying their wines since I was in College, as my wine fanatic uncle loves this place. I have hesitated reviewing this gem of a winery for fear that that secret may get out . But I not only love the wines, I love the owner Henry and his winemaker/son Chris. They are wonderful people and if this helps them sell their wines, that can't be a bad thing I believe. White Rock is just over the hills from the main part of the Napa Valley, in the Stag's Leap area. The vineyard is in its own gorgeous valley. They make 2 wines--a claret (bordeaux style blend) and a chardonnay. Both are fabulous. And both are amazingly well priced for what you get--which is world class wine. Now, if you have read my review of the Hidden Vine, you will know that I love wine, but I hate wine snobs--I believe knowledge and enjoyment of wine is wonderful, but being an asshole about it is almost an unforgiveable sin (you ruin it for everyone else!). So, as someone who loves wine, but hates snobs, let me just say that White Rock is on my top 5 list of Napa wineries. It is a family run operation for one. The other is that the wines really are spectacular. The winery has roots in France as the Father/owner Henry is from France, and his son/winemaker studied winemaking in france. As a result, the claret and the chardonnay are both styled more like french wines. I rarely enjoy chardonnay from Napa as I can't stand the buttery style. But this wine from White Rock is unreal. It is made in the Burgundian style, and avoids the oaky overdose of Napa. It is a gorgeous wine, and it is one of the few white wines I truly LOVE. And the claret, oh the claret. I have had (via my wine junkie uncle) White Rock Claret from every vintage beginning in 1994 through the current 2001 release. They are all wonderful. The wine has the Napa fruit, but with the finesse of the French style. And at around 40 bucks a bottle, I don't think you can find a nicer wine for the price in Napa. Honestly. (To those who don't LOVE wine, I know 40 bucks sounds like a lot, but I believe the claret here is as good a wine as many 100 bottles I have had the pleasure of drinking--these are usually wines someone else has paid for!). If you don't believe me, check it out for yourself. They don't really do "tastings," but if you call the winery Henry or Chris will show you around their (very cool!) caves and let you taste their wines. It is very personal and so not touristy. Really, don't go if you are with a huge group. This is the makers of the wine showing you around their home, as they live on the property. They want to tell you about the process, the wine, and the history of the property. So, there you have it. My Napa wine gem. Out there for the world to see. Hope a couple of you who love good wine read this and give it a try. (And if you can find their second label wine Madigan, it sells for about 14 bucks I think and it is phenomenal as well). read more

I had purchased White Rock's Claret for years from a local wine store...and then...one day...poof it disappeared. I loved the wine and made a mental note to visit the winery when I visited Napa next. Fast forward to my 25th anniversary the first week of August....and after visits to the very nice and corporate Cliff Lede, Mumm and Chateau Montelena...we made a reservation to visit White Rock. I know it would be different when the owner said, "Take a right at the first unmarked street." We trusted him, and wending our way down the dirt path with no signage or indication of a winery, the thought passed my mind, that perhaps what gives their wine their distinct taste is the blood they mix in to their vats from the few unsuspecting visitors they receive after they kill them and dispose of their bodies as compost. This is the definition of "off the beaten path". It is a path less travelled. But..it is worth the effort. Henri is Napa personified. I learned more about wine, wine culture, wine making and wine passion in the hour I spent with Henri than I have in my lifetime. Every stupid question answered patiently. Every query and inquiry responded to deliberately. He is "old school" but becoming more adventurous with the input of his sons. I now know why I loved his Claret (and why it is called claret) and every time I drink the 2011 version the passion and patience of his winemaking will make the quaff that much better. Take the path less traveled...it will make all the difference in your appreciation of fine wine and fine winemakers. read more

We visited this winery based on the high ratings in Yelp and were extremely happy we listened to you guys! A very personable Tara guided us through the White Rock wine making process and it was interesting to note the differences that small wineries can make to meet what they deem the necessary steps to make their wine better. A short tour of their cave provided White Rock insights and a little history. The focus though was on the tasting and it was great! We enjoyed everything we had. The hardest decision we had that day was whether or not to join the wine club (we did). A reservation is required as is the norm with most smaller wineries . It is also a little difficult to locate but well worth the effort. I recommend you adding this to your list of wineries to visit. read more

White Rock Vineyards is a place you absolutely must visit if you love wine. Their wines are among the best in Napa Valley at nearly half the price. They also have wine caves and a great tour. In February of 2011, I wrote a review for White Rock Vineyards and declared it our favorite winery after some forty years of visiting wineries. My friend and I decided to return 12/20/11 because another friend from out of state wanted to visit, and because we wanted to purchase more wine from White Rock. This is a very small, family winery whose wines are not available at most wine stores. The owner runs the winery. One son manages the vineyard. The other is the winemaker who studied in France. His daughter is a cheese maker. They have a great membership program that allows you to purchase wines at a discount with free shipping. We joined their wine club even though we would rather pick up the wines directly since we live so close to the winery. I continue to love their Chardonnay, which is white Burgundy in style without excessive oak or malolactic conversion. ($30 for the 2008). Their Claret to me is one of the most pleasurable and drinkable Bordeaux blends I've encountered. ($36 for the 2006) The Malbec is pretty good, more French in style than Argentine. ($25 for the 2006) All of the cabs are very good and quite reasonably priced for Napa Cabs. ($45 to $75) The Syrah is well worth investigating. White Rock is next to Stag's Leap District. They have white volcanic rock on a higher level that stresses out Cab vines and a lower area where chardonnays do well. We purchased at least six bottles of wine the first time we visited White Rock and at least a case the second time. This New Years eve we chose a bottle of 2004 White Rock Cabernet Sauvignon "Laureate" as our wine of the evening. (It went well with Italian food.) In addition to Cab, this has 20% Cab Franc and 5% combined of Merlot and Petit Verdot. It is a $50 wine that tastes as good as most selling for twice that price. This cab needs some time to open up, however, so give it several hours in a decanter. Once it was given some time, I got lushes ripe blackberries, a hint of vanilla with a great mouthfeel and a long finish. This is a substantial wine but not one of those huge, in your face Napa Cabs. There is more nuance than that and more subtlety. I think it will cellar nicely. We could have picked any from a large selection of premium wines we had available, but this is the one we chose to celebrate the New Year. We love all of the wines at White Rock. It is a small family run winery and remains a favorite of the hundred or so wineries we have visited. As with all small, family run wineries with limited production, reservations are needed but easily obtained by phone or email. read more

tied-for-favorite stop on our Napa tour....and it happened by accident. Our flight was delayed so we were searching for a more boutique vineyard to round out our trip. We got a wonderful intro to the vineyard/grafting process, and then got to prowl the caves. So neat! I've never had a chardonnay that blew me away, and we were THRILLED with the product at White Rock. So much so that we are trying to convince our wedding venue's distributor to pick them up (and another port find from our trip) so we can serve the chardonnay at our wedding. Of course we brought a bottle home as well. I almost feel guilty writing this review because while of course they should be rewarded for the wonderful service they provide, I don't want too many people to find out about our little Napa secret mistake. Thank you White Rock, it was so much fun and such a wonderful memory! read more

Can't believe I forgot to write a review to this place! I visited a little over a year ago, but recently opened one of their bottles of Chardonnay that we bought during our visit. It is the best Chardonnay I have had in the bay area. Very well balanced, not super oaked or buttery, just delicious. Their wine cave is also beautiful and I highly recommend visiting! read more

The reservations and cost are 100% worth it! What an amazing vineyard with amazing people, the history is rich as well and they are very true to their roots. read more

We went to White Rock Vineyards in June 2012 on the strength of these Yelp reviews, and had a marvelous experience. After calling and leaving a few messages, Henri called back and we met him that afternoon at 4:30 for a tour. Henri is an absolutely marvelous host. He started the winery with his wife in the 1970s, and his sons run the place now. The winery is appointment only--in fact, you won't find it without talking to him, as the entrance is not marked. The address shown in Yelp is his house, not the wine cave! Henri took us on a 90 minute tour and tasting, telling all about his history with the vineyard. We saw the vines (beautiful property), learned quite a bit, and toured the caves that he had dug into the side of a hill in the 1980's. Really beautiful and interesting. We went to multiple wineries and took several tours over three days in Napa, including Del Dotto (cheesy fun, and recommended) and Mondavi (very pretty and impressive, but not as enjoyable as the others though the history and the grounds are great). But White Rock was the standout, and totally made our Napa trip very special. The wines were excellent as well, and reasonably priced, and we bought a bit more than a case. We enjoy wine but we're not huge drinkers--but frankly it was Henri that really sealed the deal. I figured if we were going to spend money on wine, we wanted to spend it with him. Their premium Cab was superb with the steak we put on last night. And we were happy to buy their "experiment" of a very small run of Malbec. We were able to take pictures of the actual antique hand-press they used to make that small-batch wine. How often do you get to do that? Cool! Recommendation: call in advance, and be persistent! This was truly a wonderful experience for us, and we were really glad we went to White Rock. read more

The owner, Henri gave us a tour of the vineyards and winery. LOVE the wines, very balanced and not at all over the top. The caves are beautiful. A lovely way to have a one on one tour of a vineyard - just make sure you try the Syrah! read more

If you see wineries and wine tasting in movies, it should look like this. Henri and his family have been at this location since the 1980s, and the dedication they have to the quality of their product is second to none. I shall break this down into The Tour, The Caves and the Wines. The Tour Hands down the most informative tour of a winery I have been on. Henri encourages questions and has great stories about the property; rarely have I felt so comfortable on a tour as I did that Saturday. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Henri. The Cave From the outside, you may think it looks sort of like a leftover from the Mos Eisley scene in Star Wars. From the inside, it is a true piece of geologic beauty, emphasis on the beauty. Bring a camera, you will use it quite a bit. The Wine My wife and I normally do not like whites, but were quite surprised by the 2008 Chard; if only we had found this first I may be a white wine guy instead of a red wine guy. We bought a Chard (unheard of for us) as well as a Malbec, and Syrah. The Syrah is unlike any other we have tried, but in a fantastically tasty way. read more

Henri V. pointed us around his vineyards, planted to Bordeaux reds and Burgundian white- Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, & Petite Verdot; along with two Dijon clones of Chardonnay. The vineyards have been farmed organically since the early 1980's. The winery is totally underground, with an extensive cave where Henri also leases space to other small labels in Napa. One of the cooler things I've seen while touring wine caves, were the massive enclaves they carved out in the walls to age the bottled Bordeaux blends- totally unique. Henri and his family have been here for many years- low key in Soda Canyon, making just a few thousand cases each year of their classic Bordeaux style reds and Burgundian style whites. Henri's sons Michael and Christopher, are now winegrower and winemaker respectively. These are lean and European style wines by Napa standards- very enjoyable and well priced. This was a great stop-one of those cool "off the radar" places that are so much fun to visit. The Wines- -2007 Chardonnay, Napa Valley- Fermented in barrel w/natural yeast, 10% malo, 10 months on lees in 5% new French Oak. Lean. Peach, straw, and pear- vibrant apple and tropical fruit. Good balance and finish---very good---$30. -2008 Reserve Chardonnay, Napa Valley- 50% malo. Richer color. Honey, peach, apple- balanced and lively- finishes long with butterscotch and pear---very good to excellent---price? -2005 Claret, Napa Valley- 40% Cab Sauv, 35% Merlot, 14% Petite Verdot, 11% Cab Franc; 22 months in French Oak- 33% new. Caramel, dark berries, cigar box aromas descend into tart red berries, anise, herbs, and pepper through to the finish. Firm and balanced---very good---$36 -2004 Laureate, Napa Valley- 75% Cab Sauv, 20% Cab Franc, 3% Merlot, 2% Petite Verdot; 22 months in French Oak- 33% new. Lively color. Red fruit & boysenberry- fresh herbs, leather, and tobacco. Big tannins, integrated and long---very good to excellent---$50. read more

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Chris and his family are excellent wine makers. This is not a big factory trying to put out volume. Quality, and I must say world class quality, is what is in the bottle at White Rock. The passion they have for what they do can be tasted. Expect intelligent and passionate humble wine makers who work hard and have a hands on approach. Leave the pretentiousness in the driveway and you will enjoy the caves more. I have been in vineyards and caves all over the world and I have drank hundreds of different wines and I must say White Rock Vineyards are at the top of my list. read more

DO BUY A CASE OR YOU'LL REGRET IT! We spent a few days in Napa and Sonoma. Towards the end of our first day in Napa we decided to visit one more winery. After checking Yelp out we found that White Rock was one of the few that would still do a tour so late (it was almost 5pm). We called and Christopher agreed to give us the last tour. Christopher told us the history of White Rock and walked us through the cave. My initial review of White Rock was that the wine wasn't very good. I'm guessing it was because we were catching a late tour. It was already past 5 and I'm sure the wine sat opened for too long. We weren't very impressed with the wine we were tasting but out of courtesy we bought 2 bottles. After dinner we returned to our hotel and decided to open a bottle from White Rock thinking that we should save the good stuff for when we returned home. BIG MISTAKE!!! I wish we bought a case! I can't wait to get a whole case of Laurete! read more